Squeeze brush with rotary dispenser

ABSTRACT

A dispensing brush having a flexible housing that may be squeezed to force a fluid or the like therefrom and a rigid floor rotatably mounted in an internal groove about the bottom of the housing upon an internally extending flange thereof for controlled positioning to align openings in the floor and housing flange for dispensing material from the housing.

United States Patent Louis '1. Kellis 540 O'Farrell St., Apt. 405, San Francisco, Calif. 94102 May 21, 1969 Aug. 3, 1971 lnventor Appl No. Filed Patented SQUEEZE BRUSH WITH ROTARY DISPENSER 5 Claims,4 Drawing Figs.

u.s. CL 401/6, 401/186, 40l/278,40l/281 Int. Cl A46b 5/02 FieldoiSeu-eh 401/6, 8, 152, 156, 183, 184, 186,281, 143, 145; 128/67, 260; 222/107, 206, 210, 213, 215

[56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,090,050 8/1937 Jackson 128/67 3,130,442 4/1964 Kellis 401/278 FOREIGN PATENTS 484,436 7/1952 Canada 401/280 58,430 6/1953 France 401/281 Primary Examiner-Robert W. Michell Assistant Examiner-Richard P. Dyer Attorney-Gregg & Hendricson ABSTRACT: A dispensing brush having a flexible housing that may be squeezed to force a fluid or the like therefrom and a rigid floor rotatably mounted in an internal groove about the bottom of the housing upon an internally extending flange thereof for controlled positioning to align openings in the floor and housing flange for dispensing material from the housing.

SQUEEZE BRUSH WITH ROTARY DISPENSER BACKGROUND OF INVENTION Innumerable different types of dispensing or fountain brushes have been developed and patents thereon are to be found dating back at least to the turn of the century. Some dispensing brushes are adapted to squirt a fluid therefrom under pressure from openings through bristles or adjacent same and many improvements have been made in the way of valving for fountain brushes to controllably dispense material therefrom. Commonly, dispensing brushes with valves incorporate an undesirable degree of complexity. Complex structures in this field have the undesirable attributes of high cost, substantial bulk and decreased longevity and reliability of operation.

The present invention provides an extremely simple dispensing brush structure which not only incorporates control over the dispensing of material therefrom but also provides for forcible ejection of such material.

SUMMARY OF INVENTION The present invention is comprised of a resilient dome having inwardly extending peripheral flanges about the bottom open end. These flanges define an annular inner groove within which there is disposed a substantially rigid rotary plate having bristles or the like depending therefrom and fitting within the groove in rotatably slidable relation thereto. The lower flange of the resilient dome extends further inwardly than the upper flange and is provided with at least one aperture therethrough adapted to mate with one or more apertures in the rotary plate as same is rotated in the dome to align the apertures. Resiliency of the dome allows same to be compressed to force material from the interior thereof through the aligned apertures of dome flange and the rotary plate. Means are provided for angularly displacing the rotary plate to controllably open the in terior of the dispensing brush for egress of material therefrom. Filling means and, if desired, vent means are provided in the dome.

DESCRIPTION OF FIGURES The present invention is illustrated as to a single preferred embodiment thereofin the accompanying drawing wherein:

FIG. 1 is a side elevational view of a dispensing brush in accordance with the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a sectional elevational view taken in the plane 2-2 of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a plan sectional view taken in the plane 3-3 of FIG. 1; and

FIG. 4 is a partial sectional view of a portion of the domeplate engagement illustrating an additional return member which may be incorporated in the present invention.

DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENT Referring to the drawing it will be seen that a preferred embodiment of the present invention is comprised as a resilient dome member 11 having an open bottom and formed for example of plastic incorporating at least a limited flexibility and resiliency. The bottom of the dome 11 is open and there is provided an integral internal flange l2 thereabout. Immediately above this peripheral internal flange 12 there is formed an annular groove 13 having the top thereof defined by a second internal flange 14 or thickened portion of the dome wall. The dome 11 is also provided with filling means such as a threaded aperture atop same within which there is disposed a threaded plug 16.

The bottom of the dome is closed by a substantially rigid rotary plate 21 having a circular configuration and a diameter such that it fits into the groove 13 about the lower interior of the dome as shown. This rotary plate 21 may be formed of plastic, metal or other material and fits within the dome groove 13 upon the lower flange 12 so as to seal the interior of the dome and thus form a chamber 22 therein. The rotary plate 21 is provided with depending bristles or the like 23 which may be comprised in any one of a variety of manners as, for example, by the attachment of conventional brush bristles to the underside of the plate, or the provision of depending resilient plastic prongs on the underside of the plate. Of course, the bristles occupy only the exposed portion of the underside of the plate 21 interiorly of the lower dome flange 12.

With regard to the dispensing of material from the structure described above, it is noted that the lower dome flange 12 is provided with at least one aperture 31 extending vertically therethrough. In practice it is conventional to provide a plurality of these apertures spaced about the circumference of the flange and it is further noted that such apertures extend through the flange interiorly of the dome wall and upper flange 14. Additionally the rotary plate 21 is provided with at least one and preferably more apertures 32 therethrough. The plate apertures 32 are provided on the same radius as are the dome apertures 31 in the lower flange of the dome. This is best illustrated in FIG. 3 and it is further noted that circumferential spacing of the apertures 32 in the plate 21 are the same as the circumferential spacing between the apertures 31 in the dome flange l2.

Provision is made for controllably rotating the rotary plate 21 within the dome grove 13 so as to align the plate apertures 32 with the flange apertures 31 and also to move these apertures out of alignment. Such means may be comprised as a radial extension 36 upon the rotary plate 21 and extending through a short circumferential slot 37 in the side of the dome 11 immediately above the flange 12. In the illustrated embodiment of the present invention this extension 36 is shown to be aligned with one of the plate apertures 32 and the slot 37 to extend a distance substantially equal to the spacing between the plate apertures and flange apertures, as shown in FIG. 3. Obviously alternative locations of the radial extension 36 are possible, however, it is necessary for the slot 37 to extend sufficiently about the circumference of the dome for the plate apertures and flange apertures to be moved into and out of alignment. If desired, the radial extension 36 may have an expanded outer end as shown to facilitate application of finger or thumb pressure thereto and this extension may be formed either integrally with the plate or may be affixed thereto,

In operation or use of the present invention it is contemplated that when same is employed as a shampoo brush the dome 11 shall be formed of such a size as to readily fit in the hand of a user, preferably with the fingers extending over the lower edges of the dome and the top of the dome fitting in the palm of the hand. The brush may then be readily employed to shampoo the hair for example and in order to dispense a shampoo or the like from the brush it is only necessary for the user to slide the radial projection 36 along the slot 37, as by thumb pressure, to thus rotate the plate 21 and align the plate apertures 32 and the flange apertures 31. In this position the chamber 22 within the brush is opened to the bottom of the brush through the aligned apertures so that a fluid or the like therein may flow from the brush. If it is desired to forcibly eject shampoo or the like from the chamber 22 the top of the dome may be compressed by squeezing through contraction of the hand of the user. The lower portion of the dome element 11 will be seen to have a thicker cross section in part because of the flanges disposed thereabout and possibly because of the actual structure illustrated in FIG. 2 wherein the wall has an increasing thickness toward the bottom thereof. This then militates against deformation of the dome about the rotary plate, for it is not intended that squeezing of the brush shall deform the dome at the bottom thereof but shall only compress the top thereof to force fluid from the chamber 22 through the aligned apertures 32 and 31.

In order to close the chamber 22 and to prevent further dispensing of fluid or the like therefrom, it is only necessary for the user to press the radial extension 36 of the rotary plate in the opposite direction to thus rotate the plate or angularly displace same in the dome groove 13 to move the plate apertures 32 out of alignment with the flange apertures 31. If desired, provision may be made for automatically returning the plate to the closed position illustrated in FIG. 3. Such provision may, for example, comprise a small compression spring 41 disposed in the groove 13 within a cutout in the plate 21 forming a shoulder 42 at one one of the spring. An inward projection 43 of the dome 11 in the groove 13 is located at the other end of the spring 41. This inward projection of the dome may be integral or formed by inserting a small piece of plastic in the groove and .it will be seen that with the spring 41 located, for example, at a position on the right side of the structure shown in FIG. 3 such spring will urge the rotary plate in a clockwise direction to position the radial extension 36 of the rotary plate against the left end of the dome slot 37. Thus finger pressure upon the radial extension 36 urging same to the right in FIG. 3 will further compress the spring 41 as the plate is rotated or angularly displaced in the groove to align the plate apertures with the flange apertures. In order to maintain this alignment it is then necessary to continue this pressure on the radial plate extension and, immediately upon release of such pressure, the compressed spring 41 will urge the rotary plate to rotate in a clockwise direction back to the position shown in F IG. 3. This additional return means may be incorporated in the present invention to automate the closure of the chamber 22.

It will be seen from the previous brief description of the present invention and illustration thereof of the accompanying drawing that there is provided hereby an extremely simple squeeze brush device having controlled dispensing features without the complexity of prior art devices of this general type. in actuality, only two main elements are included in the invention, with the additional filler plug being provided for filling of the chamber within the brush. The resiliency of the upper portion of the dome 11 provides for forcible ejection of material from the chamber within the device and the flange mounted rotary plate 21 provides for controllably opening and closing apertures for dispensing of fluid or the like from the chamber in the device. lt is to be appreciated that the dome 11 or at least the portion thereof about the groove 13 of the dome should be formed of a material having a reiatively low coefficient of friction and likewise at least the periphery of the plate 21 should have a relatively low coefficient of friction so as to prevent undue binding of the plate in the groove which might otherwise inhibit angular orientation or movement of the rotary plate. The addition of a compression spring in the groove between shoulders formed on the plate and dome affords the additional feature of automatic closure of the chamber within the dome in the absence of positive pressure maintaining the plate and flange apertures in alignment.

While the present invention has been described above with respect to a single preferred embodiment thereof, it is not intended to limit the invention to the precise details of illustrations or terms of the description. Reference is made to the appended claims for a proper definition of the invention.

1 claim:

1. An improved dispensing brush comprising a flexible resilient dome element having a size and configuration to accommodate gripping by a human hand and an open bottom, said dome having an inwardly extending peripheral flange about the open bottom thereof and said dome also having a projection above said flange for defining an annular lateral internal groove between said flange and projection, said flange having at least one aperture therethrough, a substantially rigid circular floor member with bristles depending therefrom disposed across the open bottom of said dome upon said flange in said groove in rotary slidable engagement with same, said floor member having at least one aperture therethrough above said housing flange in radial alignment therewith, and means extending from said floor member for sliding same angularly within said groove for controllably aligning the apertures in floor and flange whereby the interior of said dome is opened for dispensing of material therefrom as by squeezing of said dome.

2. The improved dispensing brush of claim 1 further defined by said dome being formed of a plastic having a low coefficient of friction whereby said floor member is readily rotated in said groove.

3. The dispensing brush of claim 1 further defined by said dome having a thickened lower periphery so as to have substantially no flexibility thereat whereby said groove and flange retains the shape thereof despite flexing of the dome.

4. The improved dispensing brush of claim 1 further defined by said dome defining a peripheral slot extending from said groove to the exterior of the dome for a limited angular distance about the dome, and said means extending from the floor member comprising a radial extension of the floor member disposed through said slot exteriorly of the dome for movement along the slot to rotate the floor member in the groove to align apertures in the floor member and dome flange.

5. The improved dispensing brush of claim 4 further defined by said dome including an internal projection in said groove, said floor member having a peripheral indentation therein, and a compression spring disposed in said groove peripherally thereof within said peripheral indentation in said floor member between a shoulder formed thereon and said projection in said groove for urging said plate angularly to dispose said floor and flange apertures out of alignment. 

1. An improved dispensing brush comprising a flexible resilient dome element having a size and configuration to accommodate gripping by a human hand and an open bottom, said dome having an inwardly extending peripheral flange about the open bottom thereof and said dome also having a projection above said flange for defining an annular lateral internal groove between said flange and projection, said flange having at least one aperture therethrough, a substantially rigid circular floor member with bristles depending therefrom disposed across the open bottom of said dome upon said flange in said groove in rotary slidable engagement with same, said floor member having at least one aperture therethrough above said housing flange in radial alignment therewith, and means extending from said floor member for sliding same angularly within said groove for controllably aligning the apertures in floor and flange whereby the interior of said dome is opened for dispensing of material therefrom as by squeezing of said dome.
 2. The improved dispensing brush of claim 1 further defined by said dome being formed of a plastic having a low coefficient of friction whereby said floor member is readily rotated in said groove.
 3. The dispensing brush of claim 1 further defined by said dome having a thickened lower periphery so as to have substantially no flexibility thereat whereby said groove and flange retains the shape thereof despite flexing of the dome.
 4. The improved dispensing brush of claim 1 further defined by said dome defining a peripheral slot extending from said groove to the exterior of the dome for a limited angular distance about the dome, and said means extending from the floor member comprising a radial extension of the floor member disposed through said slot exteriorly of the dome for movement along the slot to rotate the floor member in the groove to align apertures in the floor member and dome flange.
 5. The improved dispensing brush of claim 4 further defined by said dome including an internal projection in said groove, said floor member having a peripheral indentation therein, and a compression spring disposed in said groove peripherally thereof within said peripheral indentation in said floor member between a shoulder formed thereon and said projection in said groove for urging said plate angularly to dispose said floor and flange apertures out of alignment. 